I wandered around the oval today on recess time duty and noticed how two years of drought has ravaged the grass surface. There are only sporadic spots of green amongst a mass of dried yellow and as the games of soccer and cricket are played by the students dressed in navy, light blue or white, worn brown bare patches are peeking through.
It was the last day of the school year today. The year sevens were hyped up, spending their last day of primary school strutting around looking big and important, masking the nervousness about starting high school in the new year. Emu parades were conducted, classrooms were tidied, Christmas gifts given to the teachers and the hot westerly breeze brought a haze of smoke across the school yard as Kangaroo Island continued to burn.
The air conditioner in my room continued to struggle as my class quizzed each other on the year past, then bid crazy amounts of imaginary money in a classroom memorabilia auction before we headed off for the final assembly of the year. Everyone was edgy, kids leaving were teary, and then it all ends with a fizz. Kids stream out with their parents, some stay to say thanks for a great year Mr. Wegner and then the place is quiet. I sit there for a few minutes, checking the emails I never had a chance to look at for the whole day, then pick up stray papers and stack chairs until it's time to head over to the staffroom for farewells and the obligatory Kris Kringle gift exchange. I need a Coke badly but have to settle for a Pepsi Max. It's not quite the same.
In six weeks time, it will be time to gear up and take on board a new class with new possibilities and new opportunities. For now though, the working year is done. The rubber band is about to snap.
John Larkin
Have a good break Graham. Check out lifehack.org and see what it can offer you in terms of relaxation strategies. We still have a week to go here. Our last official day is the 21st December. The kids would have finished before then.
Cheers,
John
diane
Graham,
What a sweet, sad farewell!
Reality speed bump here: another full week of school with distracted students (and staff) before Christmas. Not even halfway through our school year, and I’m already dreaming of the summer.
Enjoy your break, recharge your batteries, and do some scouting online for the rest of us.
diane
Trina
Have a great break, and I hope you find a Coke soon!
It’s interesting seeing the different school year schedules over there–here we’re about halfway through the year and gearing up for Christmas break. Plus it’s snowing…lol.
Chris Harbeck
Have a great break Graham. Make sure you spend lots of time away from the classroom. Recharge those batteries and get ready to have fun when the new school year starts.
Any time you want to collaborate just call,or write!!
Chris
AllanahK
We so look forward to the summer break but when it comes there is an odd feeling of being disconnected. It only lasts for a few minutes but it’s there all the same. We have another three and a half days to go- hard to keep kids going when they’re all tired from camp and our energy has all but run out!
Graham Wegner
Everything looks pretty good from this side of yesterday – I’m not sure who else but Aussies and Kiwis run a calendar school year. I agree with Allanah’s comment about the feeling of disconnection – we run this long marathon with a huge sprint towards the finish. I notice it most in the evenings where my time is suddenly my own, not playing endless catch up with school based expectations. Then stupidly, I’ll start entertaining ideas for next year – Chris, you might just find me pestering you about that offer of collaboration!
Rosie
Enjoy the hols. Sorry I didn’t stock the fridge with cokes. Glad you joined in with K.K.
I now have the time to catch upon emails and blogs. Will start working on mine soon!